Whitfield shrunken medieval village (Plenmeller with Whitfield)
NY 778585 Whitfield, listed as a deserted medieval village. (1)
Slight hummocky ground centred at NY 777586 but otherwise no intelligible remains. Nothing is visible on available aerial photographs (RAF 1946). (2)
NY 778585. Deserted medieval village of Whitfield. (3)
Shrunken medieval village (50% or less of its largest recorded size). Partial pattern of roads and crofts, no house sites visible; mainly medium to poor quality site. Earliest reference to Whitfield manor is the 12th century; in 1279 recorded as a vill, and Whitfield was one 12 towns of South Tynedale which in 1315 claimed exclusion from Wark manor.
In the 12th century Whitfield manor was granted to the chaplain of Ada, mother of Malcolm IV of Scotland who was to build on it. The value of post-medieval references to Whitfield is limited by the existence of numerous hamlets and isolated farms scattered throughout the estate. Hearth Tax of 1666 recorded 22 houses, but this does not necessarily imply the survival of a village. However it is possible that at least four steadings remained in the vicinity of the village site in the mid 18th century, a rental of 1767 recorded three farms at Town Green and one called Old Town Farm. The settlement now contains the church, a rectory, school and four cottages, with the Old Town Farm farther to the east.
The earthworks of the former village were recorded by Hodgson a quarter of a mile or more east of the church. The site is still visible, but less clear. According to the present farmer of Old Town much stonework has been re-used for field walls. A sunken way runs for a short distance eastwards from the church, and there are vague earthworks on its north side. Eastwards beyond a small plantation and the row of cottages called Town Green, there are enclosure banks and earthworks of buildings on the north side of the track to Old Town. On the south side the two fields due east of the rectory were formerly glebe lands, and show no irregularities. However in the third field are a few large banks, possibly crofts. Farther east, again on the north side of the track are areas of ridge and furrow and a few more earthworks separated from the main group of remains. Though difficult to interpret, the earthworks evidently survive from an extensive settlement running eastwards from the church. (4)
A series of rectangular-shaped earthworks are visible on lidar survey lying immediately east of a minor road at Town Green, north of Whitfield. At least three platforms are evident as well as possible yards. Further earthworks can be seen on lidar in the fields to the south of Church Burn nearby. (5)
Additional Reference (6)
Slight hummocky ground centred at NY 777586 but otherwise no intelligible remains. Nothing is visible on available aerial photographs (RAF 1946). (2)
NY 778585. Deserted medieval village of Whitfield. (3)
Shrunken medieval village (50% or less of its largest recorded size). Partial pattern of roads and crofts, no house sites visible; mainly medium to poor quality site. Earliest reference to Whitfield manor is the 12th century; in 1279 recorded as a vill, and Whitfield was one 12 towns of South Tynedale which in 1315 claimed exclusion from Wark manor.
In the 12th century Whitfield manor was granted to the chaplain of Ada, mother of Malcolm IV of Scotland who was to build on it. The value of post-medieval references to Whitfield is limited by the existence of numerous hamlets and isolated farms scattered throughout the estate. Hearth Tax of 1666 recorded 22 houses, but this does not necessarily imply the survival of a village. However it is possible that at least four steadings remained in the vicinity of the village site in the mid 18th century, a rental of 1767 recorded three farms at Town Green and one called Old Town Farm. The settlement now contains the church, a rectory, school and four cottages, with the Old Town Farm farther to the east.
The earthworks of the former village were recorded by Hodgson a quarter of a mile or more east of the church. The site is still visible, but less clear. According to the present farmer of Old Town much stonework has been re-used for field walls. A sunken way runs for a short distance eastwards from the church, and there are vague earthworks on its north side. Eastwards beyond a small plantation and the row of cottages called Town Green, there are enclosure banks and earthworks of buildings on the north side of the track to Old Town. On the south side the two fields due east of the rectory were formerly glebe lands, and show no irregularities. However in the third field are a few large banks, possibly crofts. Farther east, again on the north side of the track are areas of ridge and furrow and a few more earthworks separated from the main group of remains. Though difficult to interpret, the earthworks evidently survive from an extensive settlement running eastwards from the church. (4)
A series of rectangular-shaped earthworks are visible on lidar survey lying immediately east of a minor road at Town Green, north of Whitfield. At least three platforms are evident as well as possible yards. Further earthworks can be seen on lidar in the fields to the south of Church Burn nearby. (5)
Additional Reference (6)
N6342
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1966; D King
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, Altogether Archaeology project (Module 7: Allen Valleys and Hexhamshire Lidar Landscape Survey 2012-2015) 2015; Alogether Archaeology
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, Altogether Archaeology project (Module 7: Allen Valleys and Hexhamshire Lidar Landscape Survey 2012-2015) 2015; Alogether Archaeology
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